Title

The Twin Revolutions: Factional Divides at the 1916 Mexican Constitutional Convention

Author

Matthew G. Worthy

Faculty Sponsor

Ricardo Pelegrin Taboada

Abstract

In December of 1916, the Mexican Revolution entered a new period of institutionalization. A coalition of liberal and radical forces led by Venustiano Carranza had successfully overthrown the dictator Victoriano Huerta, but soon a new conflict erupted. With Huerta gone and Carranza's presidency becoming increasingly conservative, former populist allies Emiliano Zapata and Pancho Villa revolted against the new government. As a means of forging legitimizing his administration, President Carranza called for a new constitution- the delegates to the drafting convention, however, found themselves divided on what rights and guarantees the document would include. Ultimately, a group of delegates aligned with Alvaro Obregon won out, defeating Carranza’s loyalists and enforcing their constitutional vision. Despite the power struggle that took place during the convention, and the significance that it bears English language historiography is relatively quiet regarding the events that took place there. This project will analyze the 1916-1917 constitutional convention in context by examining the Constitution of 1917 itself, as well as several other sources. The convention illuminated the divisions between the liberals and the popular forces within the Mexican Revolution, and Carranza’s failure to counter Obregon’s faction allowed them to crystallize the conflict as a fight for land reform, labor rights, and secularism.

Subject

Mexican Revolution

Mexican Constitution

Constitution of 1917

Article 123

Article 27

Venustiano Carranza

Alvaro Obregon

Queretaro

Aguascalientes

Rights

Western Oregon University Library has determined, as of 10/18/2023, this item is in copyright, which is held by the author. Users may use the item in accordance with copyright limitations and exceptions, including fair use. For other uses, please ask permission from the author.

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Type

Text;Image;StillImage

volume

12

Date Published

10/20/2023